(Times of Israel) Raphael Ahren - MK Avi Dichter, a former head of the Israel Security Agency (Israel's domestic intelligence service) who today chairs the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said Tuesday that Israel is not about to unilaterally withdraw from the West Bank. "A unilateral withdrawal is, as far as we're concerned, a suicidal leap," he said. Israel is not in any immediate danger and the status quo will continue until a genuine opportunity arises to negotiate a settlement with the Palestinians. "We must not interpret the fact that [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas is not ready to promote a political process as a situation requiring Israel to act unilaterally against its own interests just to please any government, however sympathetic to Israel it may be." Dichter said an Israeli military presence in the West Bank is "essential" to the country's security.
2016-09-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive